Our Final Hour
by Timeko
Summary: Given the new update in GW2, and since me and my friends are probably going to move on to TESO, most of us have decided to end our role plays. This is my story on it involving my sylvari elementalist, Nympheadora. Rated T for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

The sky was unfamiliar. Angry. It felt wrong. The air itself was sick with death, and the clouds reflected the war that was tearing the city apart in a thick, crimson hue. It was the very essence of plague, and it was getting stronger by the second. This was strange to her, frightening even. For once, the doors were shut. The trees were silent. The birds had vanished. It was as if the world had enveloped itself in agony. It all happened so quickly, the pounding of her head had to catch up with the tempo of the shaking earth as it cried out. _'No..that's not nature..those are people.._real _people..' _The nymph sat up, wincing as a sharp tingling sensation ran down into her legs. Looking down, she tried not to panic, instead doubling over in pain. Her feet were stuck. The leafy skirt that draped over her was now crimped, and ripped in some places. A forceful pull gathered nothing but aching limbs, the rubble she was trapped under not giving way at all. A whimper escaped her, hope fleeting from her as she tried a second time with no triumph. _She_ was stuck. Pushing her arms outward, she tried to reach for leverage, instead coming across a horrific discovery. 'He's..' The man's face was familiar. She'd sold her unwanted ore and wood to him before in exchange for a low amount of coin. He was one of the refugees from the Shiverpeaks. His cold, stern face held no light of life at all underneath all that black fuzz. His cheeks no longer held that jubilant red glow. He was far gone. Not more than two feet away, another. A strong Norn woman with what looked to be the same fate. The trader's forum had collapsed, and from the looks of it, claimed a few lives as well. As if that wasn't the worst of the carnage, screams could be heard from every direction. Nympheadora dropped her head against her arms, resting her upper body. For the first time in her life, she felt alone. Very alone.

Another voice broke through the decay. It was strong, and desperate, calling out into the abyss of smoke and ruin. "This is the Trader's Forum Search and Rescue Squad. Is anyone out there?" It echoed, decibels dulled by the thickness of the pollution. Again it called, this time with a sense of urgency. "Trader's Forum Search and Rescue. Is anyone alive out there?" Nothing. Nothing but silence was returned. The same voice was muffled slightly, what seemed to be barking orders. Nympheadora tilted her head upward, trying to see amidst the wreckage and getting nothing but smoke. She couldn't find her voice. The putrid air had claimed it. Trying once more, she squeaked, uttering a small noise. It was progress. She tried again, more forcefully. It felt as though a weight the size of a dolyak was crushing her throat. Once more, she tried – then hesitated. A large airship hovered over, dropping off a few combatants. Something inside her told her these people weren't friendly. They dropped onto the dusty floor outside the front of what used to be the trader's forum, and were slowly making their way towards the mess. Weapons were in hand. Strange weapons. They looked nothing like the Lionguard. The voice from before grew more desperate, relaying the same message again, yet Nym held her attention on these newcomers. She knew if she yelled, these people would find her before they did. And they were getting closer. Reluctantly, she grabbed the closest corpse – the man she used to call a friend – and pulled his body over herself. If they thought she was dead, they wouldn't bother looking this way. All this was riding on the hope that the newcomers would leave and that the Lionguard would come soon. With this newly found hope, she swallowed, laying as still and as quietly as she could. She could feel her fronts wilting under all the heat and decay. Not too long after she heard their booming footsteps echo through the wood floor, the voice sent out a message that completely shattered all remnants of hope the sylvari had left. "Pull out. Pull out. There are no more survivors. The Miasma is getting worse. I repeat, all Lionguard report to the gates immediately. The gates are being destroyed in T minus one minute. I repeat, evacuate immediately." Those words trapped themselves in her mind as she stared at this man's lifeless body. The fact remained that soon she'd be a corpse like the rest of them. That she wasn't getting out. Swallowing again, she closed her eyes, silent tears streaming down the soft teal petals that made up her cheeks. She was going to die here.

Trembling, she tried so very hard to remain as still as possible while humming in her head. The utter sense of seclusion and hopelessness was starting to take its toll.

_'And the bird sang to the tree_

_ whipper wee whipper wee,_

_ You can not fly as high as me..'_

The keep was busy. Busier than usual. With all the attacks as of late, one would figure the factions as a whole would be utter chaos, but this. This was pure anarchy. A roaring crowd was buzzing around anxiously between relief tents, in and out of asura gates that seemed to have sprung up almost over night. A few vigil leaders were going around with fountain pens and scrolls in hand, catching witness details and consoling the victims. Surprisingly this was only a small fraction of the people that lived in Lion's Arch. The rest were either dead or missing. The list of priority went from the Priory, to the Whispers agents, to the Vigil soldiers and everyone else. While a lot of their research had gone up in flames, it was safe to say most if not all of the scholars made it out alive – or so they thought.

The male sylvari parted the crowd, his fern hound following as close to his heels as physically possible. He'd never seen such a crowd on the Vigil's doorstep, not since the attack on the Queen's Pavilion. The only thing he knew was that the gates to Lion's Arch had been sealed, and Lionguard were heavily present at guarding each one. Spotting another friend, he attempted to wave him down but to no avail did the pirate look up. Meihem scowled, scratching the back of his head in a moment's thought, hatching an idea. Leaning towards the hound, he whispered to his partner, who then dipped his muzzle in understanding and took off. The beast bounded towards the pirate, who was negotiating with a mildly disgruntled Charr about an exchange of some coin for a few pilfered belongings. Once there, the jaws locked on to a shining metal flask that hung at his belt, at which point the hound doubled back to his master with the pirate following.

"Cmere, ye damned mutt!" he shouted, almost tripping over people in his wake as the wolf slipped between the crowd. Finally, it stopped. "Gotcha!" As he went to grab the flask, a gloved hand caught it at the same time, bringing it up to a rather smug grin. The sylvari pirate wiped his forehead, holding back a haughty laugh. "Well, if't isn't Deputy Do-Right.." His bark-layered face narrowed into a spiteful glare. "To wot do I owe the honor for this snatching o' my rum?" he inquired, eying the beast with a displeased glower.

Meihem only grinned in return, ignoring the petty names. As the pirate went to snatch back his treasure, he simply pulled it further past his head. "Ah, a question – if you will." The ranger held a stern face, despite his young, childish antics.

"Ye? Wot? I'm 'earin the end o' my patience, twig." The pirate growled, bark brows furrowing with aggravation. Stopping a moment, he noticed something odd with the scene. The little sylvan lass that clung to his backside was missing. Throwing out a guess, his sneer twisted into a mockingly sincere smile. "Did ye lose somethin' mate?"

The ranger narrowed his eyes. "If you're referring to Nym, I haven't seen her. And with this commotion, it's starting to worry me.." Handing the flask back to him, his features changed from defensive to inquisitive. "What's going on, Demitri?"

It wasn't long before the flask was opened with him taking a few gulps, almost choking at the question. "By the Tree, where 'ave you been?" He wiped his mouth as he coughed, forcing the rum out of his windpipe. "Lion's Arch was raided by Scarlet and 'er band o' jumble. The city don't exist no more..and neither do most o' the peoples n'it, fer that matter.." He grumbled, taking another long swig of his flask.

"What?" Meihem asked in disbelief, his eyes widening as he slowly started to realize. This wasn't just a gathering. It was a refugee camp. Taking another quick look-over, he didn't see Nym. Demitri was right after all, even if he didn't want to admit it. Nympheadora had made it a custom to be as close as possible during this sort of thing, yet now she was no where to be found. She hadn't responded to his letter about the war. It wasn't like her at all. Regaining his train of thought, he turned to Demitri. "Dem, have you see Nympheadora anywhere? Did she come in with the other priory scholars?"

The pirate shook his head, recapping his flask and slipping it onto his belt. "Aye, haven' seen the wee lass since after the war. Said she got stationed in Lion's Arch to study dat drill o' somethin'.." Demitri studied the sylvari's face. He could almost feel the sense of dread creeping into his subconscious. His conscience told him he hadn't really helped with stemming his worries. With a heavy sigh, he shook his head and patted his palm to the male's back. "C'mon lad. If she be anywhere, it'd most likely be at the Priory 'eadquarters.." Demitri turned, pointing out over the white heads of the tents to a hot air balloon that was ready for departure. "There be our ride, straight to Lornar's Pass."

"Then let's go." Meihem demanded, with out a second's thought. A slow feeling a dread was starting to fill his mind. _'Stop worrying, she's alright..don't assume the worst..'_ His mind was trying hard to convince him despite all the things running through it. This was going to be a long balloon ride.

The two men remained quiet. Demitri kept to himself out of respect, while Meihem sat contemplating. His tight ponytail pushed against the side of the basked as he closed his eyes, with his back leaning against it. The worrying made the trip all the more monotonous. What if she wasn't there? What if she was still in Lion's Arch? Dare he say it, what if she was a victim. He shook his head, as if trying to shake the notions from him. Letting out a long breath, he smiled, humming to try and calm his nerves.

'_And the tree sang to the bird, _

_ That is where you're wrong, I've heard,_

_ For my dreams will always soar_

_ higher than any bird has ever flown before..'_


	2. Chapter 2

The Priory headquarters was just as busy as the Vigil Keep, with all sorts of people bustling about. Scholars and citizens alike were moving between tents with supplies, making sure the refugees were settling in and counting their numbers. A small board outside the Priory camp listed the number of saved to missing. The numbers were staggering. Between all the factions, it looked as though only a quarter of the city had made it out alive in certainty, and a few thousand were still mixed in with the chaos. Amongst the chatter, Meihem heard the familiar booming orders from the Lionguard who stood not too far away from the gate between the snow-dusted mountain peaks.

"This area is now under lock down. Please stand clear of the gate as we are still evacuating. All Lionguard personnel are to report to their posts ASAP!" The humdrum tone held stern and forceful, making itself as loud and clear as possible. This was a state of emergency, after all. Despite the chaos, Meihem and his party cut their way through the jumbled mass upon arrival in a bee line to the hallowed halls of the Durmand Priory. Scholars went by every which way, fighting to make sense of the lawlessness state of their outpost. They were never one for disorganization, and this incident had them at a wit's end with all the disarray. The worry started to settle in with each passing scholar and novice. Nym was nowhere to be found. Meihem felt a knot curl in the pit of his stomach, forcing the embers of his hope to keep burning. Maybe one of them knew something. It was going to be a hard task to rope one down long enough to get answers, but he had to try.

He spotted a fellow sylvari, the brightness of her leaves sticking out like a sore thumb against the gray iridescence of Lornar's winter setting. "Excuse me!" He called out, getting closer. There was an oddness about it. Like he faintly knew her from somewhere, but couldn't recall the time or place. As the tempered rose whirled around, he stopped abruptly, his face dropping a few shades lighter. "You.." He murmured, his face suddenly twitching with borderline hatred.

The female only took one look of him then turned up her nose, her bright orange eyes flashing with discontent. "Wonderful. As if I didn't have enough to deal with, trouble comes to find me.." Slapping the book in her hands shut with a cogent clap, she turned and started walking down the front hall evading the male sylvari and his company like the plague. Much to her displeasure, they bounded off towards her. "Don't you people have anyone else to bother? The war's over. Go save a puppy, tend to your priestess or something and leave me to my work, can't you see I'm up to my fronds in relief efforts?!"

"Oh? Given your vanity I hadn't taken you for someone that cared about anything other than yourself." Meihem growled in rebuttal, pushing through the crowds after her in a desperate attempt to keep up with the tiny female illusionist.

The sylvari snorted in laughter. "You say that like I actually do care about the carnage in Lion's Arch. My, my..aren't _we_ foolish.." Her pace quickened, making for one of the archways leading to the inside of the base.

"Well you do put on a masterful performance –" Before she could disappear into the labyrinth under the first floor, he had jumped in between herself and the door. "Please, this is important." The urgency and dejection he displayed caused her to pay slightly more attention.

A soft alabaster hand moved up to wipe the soot-tinted fatigue lingering in her face as she sighed, shaking her head. Looking back and forth, she scanned the floor briskly before bringing them out of the archway and off to the side. "I'm listening."

"Nym. Have you seen her? Did she come in with the other Scholars?" His voice was calm, yet laced with frantic worry.

The curling leaves the split as her eyebrow line crunched, leaving her looking a little confused. "Nym..Nym. Sorry doesn't ring a bell." She stated simply, moving to flee before being stopped short by the towering pirate.

Demitri couldn't hold back the grin, having wacthed the entire scene play out. He'd seen this before. They weren't dealing with just any Priory Scholar. This happened to be one of the few renowned illusionists of their time, and dare he say it, on the same par of mastery as Duchess Faolain in her craft. Not to mention, with just as much wickedness as a blackberry bush. "C'mon Nil..give the man the infermation 'e wants. Wot 'arm could it possibly do yeh?"

Those pale orange eyes rolled as she grumbled something under her breath. She didn't want to let on that she knew this man. The bootlegging of alcohol past Priory doors wouldn't have been considered favorable given her status. And in the Priory, status was important. It just had to be the pirate, of all people to show up. Casting a heavy sigh, she opened the rather large textbook as she peeled it from her side, flipping through the pages. "Let's see..Nym..Nymeria, Nymonae, Ah! Nympheadora. Explorer, Sylvari elementalist, age thirteen weeks, and currently.." Narrowing her eyes, she tried to make use of the fine print that was slightly smudged from being written so quickly. "Missing. It looks as though she was the only other one out of her research team to not make it out of the city, aside from what looks to be a male Norn. There. Can I go now?" She asked, clapping the book shut.

"Oh no, lass. I'm reckonin' ye be owin' me a few favors now, come ta think of it.." The pirate rubbed the waxy stubs on his chin, his thin bark curling into a smirk. "And it's time ye paid the piper."

Niladriel stared at him blankly, her complexion paling as if she'd seen a ghost. "I'm sorry..what?" The tiny sylvari started shaking her head in disbelief, anger rising by the second. "EXC –" She stopped, gathering herself and quelling her temper before she spoke once more. People had looked their way at her outburst, at which time she shot them a polite apologetic smile before it faded quickly into a searing scowl. "Excuse me, do you mean to tell me you are blackmailing me into running with you on this little escapade through a war zone which has already claimed a few hundred thousand? Let's be practical now, shall we? If she's not out now then there's no hope. I'd suggest you both stay out as well or you will end up with the same fate! Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than waste my time w–"

"Alright, go on then. I'll just uh, leave those receipts for yer rum on Steward Gixx's desk upon m'leave..I'm sure he'll be gettin' a kick out of one o' his most favored arcanists bein' a bit fond of illegal alcohol..C'mon Meihem, let's go." Demitri stared the female down, still holding that same devilish smirk as he sifted a hand into a hidden chest pocket, pulling out a clump of tiny slips. It only fueled his amusement as her eyes widened at the multitude of the slips. He could feel the hatred radiating from her as he nodded, shaking the stack as it was latched between his middle and pointer fingers.

She waited a moment, her conscience fighting with her better judgment. At this point, it didn't matter. She was either ruined, or dead. Teeth clamped together to fight back the irrefutable anger that she ever so wanted to barrage him with, yet she kept silent. Instead, heaving another long and heavy sigh. "Do you two even have a plan at least?" She inquired, her arms latched and laced themselves firmly underneath her leafy bosom.

Demitri went to combat that accusative question, when Meihem stepped in before he could make the situation worse. She was willing to help now, and they at least owed it to her to be sincere. They were no longer enemies. It was time to put away the petty bitterness. "No, but with you being one of the best mesmers in the Priory, we could desperately use your help. Please." Meihem tried to remain as straightforward as he could, while still holding strong. Mesmers were masters of illusion and trickery. There had to be something, and if there was, this sylvari was a blessing in disguise. Even if she didn't want to believe it.

Niladriel's eyes drifted shut, her head shaking in a loss for words. "As I thought..follow me." With no time to explain just how foolish this whole adventure seemed, she started towards the relief camp at a spry pace. "Getting in to the city will be enough of a challenge, but we're going to need some way of staying in communication with each other as all warp stations have been shut down. From what I've heard, power crystals were ruptured in the attack so there will be no quick way out of the city. In and out, no detours, or..we're aren't making it out." It was as if a switch had changed from bitter to demanding. The sylvari led them back to the hot air balloon, dropping off a few things at one of the relief tents and picking up a basic wooden staff, a sword that pulsated with a golden pattern, and what looked to be a blade that reflected the very essence of the night sky. Nonchalantly hoisting the blade over her shoulder, it latched to her back. An aura surrounded her, the same color as the blade. The two men stared at her in awe, unknowing if she knew about the effects of the weapon or if she was just ignoring it. With the sword and focus now hanging at her sides, she took the staff in hand, using it like a walking stick. She continued her briefing, opening the tiny gate that led to the balloon's hatch. "We will fly to Bloodtide Coast. The outpost there isn't that heavily guarded, and furthermore..there's someone there that could help us.." She was taken aback at the two of them still being awestruck, at which she just shook her head. "Shall we?" Motioning towards the entrance, they funneled inside and were soon to be off, sailing across the snow-capped peaks towards the much warmer side of Maguuma.


	3. Chapter 3

An explosion went off not too far from the camp's shoreline, as a little ball of smoke shot out in a direction and crashed into the sand. Coughing came from the crater as the tiny asura climbed out of his sand tomb, dusting himself off. Kennec removed his goggles, waving a hand to block the rest of the smoke from getting anymore in his puny lungs. The rings around his eyes indicated that the smoke had badly stained his skin, turning it jet black aside from its normal chocolate color. "Well, that was inconvenient." He growled, vigorously shaking the ash from his silver hair. Waddling over to a lone table that now erupted in bright green flames, he quickly took out what looked to be an oval-shaped metal ball. With a turn and a few taps, it lit up, glowing fiercely with a bright blue hue. After a moment of hissing, it whirled and shot out a type of gas that extinguished the flames instantly. Irritated, the asura snatched the ball and slipped it back into his pocket, letting out a fitful sigh. "This effluvium is more complex than I imagined, or I suppose the insufflation system is just not compatible with withstanding certain levels of contagion and its overriding the suflix compacitor before it can even permeate the sifter.." A swift scratch behind one of his long ears flipped his goggles back down as he gathered his tools and went back to work.

"Kennec?" Niladriel's melodious call echoed as far as it could, battling against the clanging of steel and stone. The bustling of the encampment made it all the more difficult. She called once more, spotting an interesting asuran set-up littered with a few craters here and there. The tent alone was smoking like a kiln. Rounding the corner, she stepped carefully through the sand and spotted the Lilliputian bent over a lab table hard at work, as usual. "Kennec, thank goodness–"

"Whatever it is, I'm busy! Ratiocination eludes me at how you people can't seem to comprehend the homogeneity of needing one's own space! And further more – Oh, m'lady.." Upon turning his shoulder, his ears perked as he quickly knelt in respect towards the nymph, ignoring the riffraff behind her. Sliding off his gloves with a quick tug, he let them drop to the ground as he tottered over to her. With a quick dusting of his hands and the removing of his goggles, he gently took one of her claw-like hands into his and planted a kiss atop it, having to make her bend slightly in the process. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your – this – company?" He hesitated as he took a glance to the two rough-looking male sylvari behind her, taking note of the large fern hound that bounded in with them. It was twice his size, and much to his displeasure, it looked famished.

"We need a favor.." The sylvari stated simply, teeth raking against her bottom lip as she constructed his reaction in her head.

"YOU'RE PLANNING WHAT?!" His eyes widened in size upon hearing the half-baked plan they intend to endure. Shaking his head in disbelief, he threw himself back into the hovering chair. "You can't be serious! This scheme is preposterous! Do you have any intimation at what shape the city is in at the moment? Many have gone in and I can tell you very few have returned! And not in any good of shape I can assure you!" Despite his tiny size, the asura made a live, boisterous point. The city no longer existed as a city. It was now a war zone, and a deadly one at that. The fumes alone had claimed many, and the number was slowly growing. Rounding on the ranger and the ring leader of the fiasco, he narrowed his yellow eyes. "Tell me boy, is this female your mate? Or rather, 'dearheart'? Never can tell with these plant types and their vocabulary, they seem to have a word for everything.."

Meihem stared, caught off guard by the question. "I, uh, no. No. I mean, not to my knowledge. Actually – wait, how would I _not_ know..I mean, ugh..you know what I mean!" The rest of them scanned him closely, as if waiting for him to continue. Even the hound pointed his snout towards him, head tilted but black eyes reading a look of uncertainty with his master. Clearing his throat, his expression returned to the stoic veil he held throughout the remainder of the conversation. "The point is, I'm not leaving her behind..dearheart or not."

The air of a sage hung in the asura's features as he sat and stroked his balding, wrinkled chin. "Interesting. Very interesting. Fine. I'll help you, but I hope you understand I can not accompany you.." He said, hopping from his chair and wobbling over to the table. Taking in a deep sigh, he slipped a box out from underneath the table and started rummaging through it. "..Nor am I responsible for your fate."

The three shook their heads in understanding as they watched the asura gather what looked to be circlets. With a few taps, the stone in the centerpiece lit up on each one as he began handing them out. "These are short-distance communication devices. When I say short distance, I mean a few hundred feet. All you have to do is talk, and the waves are then transmuted into the stones which trap and radiate the thought so that the others wearing the circlets can hear. Was meant to be a tool for war, yet, they are a bit fragile so you will have to be extremely careful.." Walking back over to the table, he stared at his work for a long minute, contemplating before finally giving in to his own conscience. "And this.." He said, holding up what looked to be an aqua breather mixed with a gas mask. "This I've been working on since the attack..it is designed to help control the miasma levels entering the respiratory system, but I only have one so far.." He looked between the three, handing it off to the group with the slightest bit of hesitation. "The problem is..the miasma is incredibly potent. So far, at the most lethal dose it has exploded. I think it is due to an overloading core but I'm not quite sure myself..mind you, if you do use it..just know that you only have a limited time, so I'd suggest emergency-basis only.." Before he let go while watching the ranger take it, he looked upon him once more. "Are you sure you want to do this? Risk your life for another, with a certainty of death?" The asura couldn't help but pry, as he felt there was more to this ranger than what seemed.

Meihem's hand lingered on the device, something in him wrapping his fingers around it in confidence, in defiance of this asura's constant skepticism. Taking it, he nodded slowly and surely, without any hint or preview of dubiety. "Yes. After all, she would do the same for me.." His gaze locked on the asura, the assurance in his tone thick with sincerity.

A grin curled the wrinkles in the halfling's face at the answer. "As I thought. Who are we without the people behind us? I wish you luck, my boy, you and your lady both.."

_There she stood, as plain as day. He could reach out and grab her if he wanted. A soft breeze passed with the aroma of maturing honeysuckle blooms mixed with the soft tenderness of the countryside. They had escaped the fire, the ruin. The chaos remained absent. All that could be seen for miles was a vast sea of golden wheat, and a glittering ocean view that mirrored the setting sun. "Nym–" He began before a teal finger met with his lips. _

_ "D'you hear it?" She beamed, staring into the distant horizon. A gentle smile hung on her features. _

_ Meihem gawked at her in a sense of bewilderment, joining her gaze. He heard nothing. Nothing but the sound of gust whistling through the flora – and a thump. A thump that was getting louder and heavier, like a heartbeat that belonged to a giant. Narrowing a brow, he turned back to her only to come face to face with the nymph. A frightened yet eerie emptiness had replaced the smile, her once-bright amber eyes now dulled and void of life. _

_ "He's coming.."_

_ "What's co–"_

_ Before he could finish, a great pair of monstrous jaws crashed through the earth, wielding long, jagged ivory fangs three times as big as any building he'd ever seen. The sky had changed in an instant. The soft heavenly glow from the sunset now boiling in a crimson fury. He watched as the mouth submerged into a seemingly endless pit. Looking down, he saw nothingness, until a pair of glowing eyes pierced the darkness and rushed him. He prepared for the sting of teeth ripping at his oaken hide.._

"Lad?" Demitri hovered over the ranger, who'd been tossing and turning in his sleep ever since they left the little landing behind Sorrowful Sound. Waves crashed against the ship, shaking the dream from him. The feeling hung in his gut, his face still twisted in a sense of confusion and displeasure that told the pirate it was best not to question it. Walking past Meihem with eyeglass in hand, he stopped next to the edge where Niladriel stood. "We're goin' ta be passin' inno the city boundaries soon..keep a look out, will yeh?"He motioned to Meihem, who nodded in understanding and gathered himself to his feet.

A heavy sigh of relief told their "crew" she was just about finished with this nonsense. "Good..this is such a waste of my talents. Cloaking a ship..and here I thought this task would be challenging.." She huffed, tossing her head to flip back a mislaid vine that had escaped her tight bun.

"Don't be so sure, Niladriel..the task isn't completed yet.." Meihem noted, vision locked on the haze as they entered into a cloud of billowing red smoke. It stung his eyes, and held the most densely foul scent he'd ever encountered. Coughing, he tried waving at it to thin it but to no avail did it disperse, only to linger like a noxious fog. This is what the asura meant. A loud ringing shattered the silence as the mask hanging off Meihem's belt began to go off. Quickly taking it and examining it, he mashed every button he could find until the noise ceased. On the side of the mask read an indicator with a small blinking bar. It was already a quarter full, and in small digital print at the bottom read out "Lethality Level" with the top of the bar showing a decorative skull and crossbones. He had to give credit to the asura that he'd made something even a sylvari could understand without formal directions. So this was the miasma, and judging from the mask, it was only getting worse. He examined it once more before strapping it back to his belt, at which point he saw the fern hound bend down, placing both paws on its nose. He couldn't help but smile apologetically, bending down to ruffle the foliage covering the brute's body. "Oh come now, we won't be here long..I hope.." He could feel his hope sinking. The likelihood that they would find her, and if she were alive. _'No.'_ He barked at his subconscious, fighting back the doubt. She was alive. He _knew_ it.

As the ship sailed, the large bubble surrounding it began to warp and deform, blinking before dissipating completely. Niladriel had fallen over, gasping for air. The two men rushed over to her aid, at which she tried to shake it off. "No, no..I'm fine..I just–" She choked, freezing mid-sentence in a coughing fit. Meihem brought up the mask, placing it on her face while adjusting it around her head. He wasn't about to lose anyone on this journey.

"Breathe. In this." He demanded, trying to get her to stand upright once more. He steadied her, letting her lean on him for leverage. Her dark leaves had paled. This tainted air was taking a toll on her.

Niladriel looked between them both, shaking her head. The mask muffled the sound of her voice, but it was still audible. "Meihem, you need this."

"A simple 'thanks' would suffice.." He teased, watching as the female pulled away slowly. She'd looked upon him as if he'd lost his mind. Up until now, he was unsure if Niladriel had ever seen a kind gesture. Avoiding confrontation, he just smiled back at her.

Rock formations started popping up a few hundred feet out from the prow. A tall pillar materialized out of the haze. Meihem recognized it instantly as the lighthouse of Lion's Arch. All though, it had lost its guiding light and now stood as a giant stone torch as flames engulfed its tower. It was a shame to see it in such a state. They all witnessed it with a hint of distress. The lighthouse had always been a beacon of hope. For as long as the city stood, it weathered every storm. A respectful silence lingered as they sailed past.

"Look out!" The captain dodged to his right into a bundle of boxes as three orbs of flame shot out from the sky and collided with the deck, bursting into pillows of capacious fire. The sails lit up when touched, the hungry flames devouring each stitch in rapid succession. A roaring could be heard from the tiny island as more fireballs were hurled in their direction. Demitri jumped back to the wheel, throwing his vessel into a sharp left from Sanctum Harbor, towards the shores and cliffside. The had all scattered across the deck, trying to put out the fires as soon as they could. The pirate yanked the wheel, but for some reason, she wouldn't steer. It was headed at full speed into the cliffs. "Blast it!" Demitri snarled, jumping over onto the deck with the others. "We've lost her, we need ta gather our wares an' abandon–" A spear shot across the deck, impaling the young sylvari through his right shoulder and pinning him to the ship's ledge. He yelped in pain, the golden ooze dripping down from the wound and staining his rags.

"Demitri!" They yelled in unison, running over to him before he flung an arm out in protest. They stopped midway, staring at the creatures that came crawling up from the side of the ship. Krait, but a new type of krait. The toxic kind. Their recognition was trademarked by the acidic green glow of their bodies. The ship was being raided. More were pouring in, carrying spears and staves, all equipped with a set of highly poisonous fangs.

Wrenching the spear from his shoulder, Demitri got to his feet with haste. They were destroying his ship. He wasn't about to go down without a fight. Spear in hand, he chucked it as hard as he could at the closest one. With a screech it was impaled into the deck, and soon others were crawling to take its place. Trying to ignore the pain, he pulled the gun from his holster and unsheathed his rapier. Carefully and calmly, he raised his weapons in a defensive stance as he started backing towards his crew of two. "I wan' yeh both ta jump o'er the ledge now.." He whispered, the thought coming across clear as day with the circlets in place.

"Are you serious? You can't take them all on your own!" Niladriel growled back, fearful of what the pirate was implying. Shoving her worst fears into her face, they had backed themselves against one of the banisters of the ship with the krait closing in.

The pirate gave them both a grin, before gliding an arm across them. He shot Niladriel a quick wink. "I don' believe I was askin' yeh..Get off me ship!" The arm close-lined them, tilting them over the side and into the waters below. Striking glances with the hound, he rolled his eyes. "You too, mutt!" Grabbing him and chucking him off the side as well. A swift peek let him know they'd made it to the water safely. He then turned to face the monsters, weapons drawn. There was no where to run. Not for him. A good captain always went down with his vessel, at least that's what he'd been taught. Taking a few seconds to reflect back on his life before he left the Grove, he remembered what the mentors taught him about the Dream. About life, and how to breed goodwill even in the darkest of times. This being one of those times, he couldn't help but wonder now as he was looking death in the face. That maybe, despite him throwing away his heritage and the Pale Tree for a life of plundering and thievery, his soul would still return to the Dream. To _her_. Taking in a deep breath, he charged into the group, pulling out every trick in the book. With gun blazing and sword swinging, he fought hard on the surface. On the inside, however, a silent prayer was being sung to the Pale Tree. His death song. _'I've lived my life a selfish, naive weed, yet I've lived it fully..and have felt no better comfort than the warmth and happiness of the ones I called friends. If I shall die today, I'll have it known that even though I disregarded Ventari's teachings, I believe the only lasting peace is the peace within my own soul..' _

"To my love..I'm coming home.."

...


	4. Chapter 4

The salty sea mixed with ashes and cinders drenched the soft cloth of his wardrobe, sand clinging to it. Thanks to Nobuo, they'd made it to shore. The sea bounced off Niladriel's leafy dress, but the miasma had started rooting its nefarious toxins. She cupped the gas mask to her face once more. It was already apparent she wasn't going to make it without its use. Falling to her hands and knees, tears began to stream down her cheeks. Real tears. The feeling of loss was all but unknown to her, and it was hitting her hard. In a mix of hysterical crying and coughing, she tried to make note of her surroundings and come to terms with what just happened. She had to, if they were going to escape alive.

"I-"

"He.."

"We-"

"I can't..I can't-"

A few steps in the sand brought her down to one knee, reality trying to catch up with her mind. Meihem caught her before another plunge, stopping her from going any further as they escaped the wake of the shore and settled in the sand. "Nil..Nil! I need you to calm-Nil! Stop!"

It was as if she was trying to run from it. Run from the hard fact that he did die, and died to buy them some time to get away at that. For them. Regret was forming and contorting in the pit of her stomach. _'How could he..how could he..' _At an instant, her attention snapped to Meihem as he forced her to tunnel vision on him for a moment, to try and sooth the best of a bad situation.

"Nil! I need you to calm yourself! We aren't going to make it if you don't focus. I know it's hard. He was my friend too! But we can't dwell on it now, we have to find Nym. So please..just..focus." He couldn't say with a straight face that she didn't have a heart. It was obvious now. And this fact alone almost left him speechless. In all the years he'd known her, most of what he thought he knew had instantaneously vanished. Putting it aside, his compassion compelled him to remain stoic and direct. For the both of them. "Now..are you sure your portal spell will work?"

The nymph wiped her eyes, still holding the mask to her face. She nodded in assurance. "It should, but I don't think I can stretch it any farther. It has limits on distance. If I go any farther, the portal might dissipate completely.." Another coughing fit brought her down once more, finding it hard to even catch a breath under the effects of the gas mask. Even if she could go any farther, she would have slowed them down immensely. "But you-"

"I'll be fine." Meihem retorted, taking a swift look at the gauge on the gas mask. By looking at it he could deduce they had about half an hour left before it stopped working, or worse – exploded. Much to his fortune, the headpieces were still operating correctly despite their tumble amongst the waves. Slipping his on first, he handed the other to Niladriel. "If I don't come back before that gauge runs low, leave." His expression left no jest, and remained as sincere as ever. Her glowing eyes widened at this, and as she opened her mouth to protest, she studied his face once more. The urge to asseverate faded as quickly as it had surfaced. She knew nothing she could say or do was going to change his mind, and it was just going to waste more time arguing about it.

"Alright.." she said simply, submissively. Something in her wanted to stop him. At least try and convince him of how dangerous and reckless this was. Instead, she watched him disappear into the thick cloud of crimson, the fern hound's tail flitting back and forth behind him before they became nothing but a silhouette, and then not even that. For a moment, she wondered if she'd ever see him again. Unknown as to if it was cowardice or respect, she remained quiet sitting there in the sand. Pulling off the headset for a brief moment, she held it beside her, uttering a barely audible whisper. "May luck stride with you, Meihem..for all our sakes.." Slipping the circlet back on, the tiny stone shined brightly as she waited for a signal. Anything. She was ready to leave this place behind.

"Stay close, Nobuo.." Meihem whispered, watching a few of those slimy toxic krait slither by with a Nightmare Court Knight in their company. The place was crawling with the toxic alliance. The fern hound climbed up and leaned his upper body against the wall they were occupying as cover. His ears perked at the sight of the glowing green beasts, a low growl starting to rumble like thunder from the large verdant wolf. Meihem pressed a hand against his mane in a silent manner to still him. "I know. We're going to have to be careful." Meihem noted, slipping back down and checking his axes. "But we're also going to have to clear a few of them. Ready?" The fern hound snorted in assertive agreement, his eyes locked on his master. Nodding back, Meihem mentally prepped and laid out the plan in his mind while holstering his axes at his sides and checking his bow. Best to stay at ranged as long as he can, and have the axes as a back up. They were going to try and run as far as they could, with as little combat as necessary. His subconscious began the count down, pulling an arrow from his quiver in preparation. Starting at a skip, they both fell into a full sprint across the broken shore, catching enemies by surprise, and luckily, a swift arrow to the head.

They'd made it safely to the Priory dig site on the beach. If she was anywhere, this was one of the main places to look. With one swift glance, he couldn't spot anything. That was just the problem. There was nothing. The hum of a drill echoed from beyond the waves, the cause of which he could not see through the thick blush fog. The beach was eerily void of life, enough so to cause a rouse of skepticism. With bow at the ready, he stepped lightly with the certainty that this must be some sort of ambush scheme. Nobuo's nose tried fighting with the toxic air, trying to pick up something. Anything. As they rounded a pile of debris, a trident flung between them, and a low and guttural hiss followed. The beast reared, slamming its serpentine tail on the ground to try and swat at the fern hound that had pounced on it. Jumping away at another swat, Nobuo lowered himself, pearly white jaws bared and at the ready. The think stood, pushing itself up as far as its tail would force it. It was a bigger one, and from the looks of the two tridents it wielded, it was a Nimross. Its glowing acidic scales pulsed, preparing for another attack. Meihem raised his bow, ready to cut through it if he had to – only to be caught off guard by a haunting chuckle from the fog.

With a sharp screech, the beast collapsed in a heap at the hound's paws. Rolling thunder clapped as lightning began to light the dense fog, revealing a shadow that was slowly emerging. An ornate dagger was sticking out of the krait's back along with a multitude of scratches and gashes. Blood oozed from them, staining the sand underneath. Meihem recognized that dagger, and the screech of a dire hawk made it all the more clear. "Remus.." He breathed, watching intently as the shadow slowly fell into light. The burst of lightning made his realization true. There, the large sylvari male stood, engulfing him in a wicked shadow. The hawk's eyes settled on Meihem, that fierce yellow stare focused on his every move as it daintily landed atop his master's shoulder. The sylvari smiled, brushing a loose frond from his face.

"Brother..it's been a while."

"I am no brother to you!"

Meihem spat, sheathing his bow and pulling his axes from his sides. Nobuo stood defensively between the two, guarding his master as he made his presence known with a menacing growl.

Remus took a glance down at the beast, only to scoff and wave a hand, as if brushing off a fly. "Now now, that is no way to treat a family member. Especially one that wishes to offer advice." A heavy step towards him caused Nobuo to jump length-wise, the growling intensifying. Before Remus pressed on, he peered down at the hound and sneered. "But first, you're going to have to leash your puppy. We wouldn't want any accidents, would we, Khan?" He asked, rubbing a gloved finger down the bird's belly as it screeched and unfolded its wings.

Meihem hesitated, but thought for a moment. If he really wanted to kill them, he would have already. Especially if he'd been watching them this entire time. Motioning for Nobuo to be at ease, he holstered his axes and crossed his arms over his chest. "And what do you want in return? What's in it for you.."

Remus looked oddly surprised. "Why, I just thought I'd offer my help. Since you won't last very long without it. Not if you plan on going any further than the Western Ward anyway.." Taking a few more steps closer to the sylvari, he closed in near him and let his booming voice drop down to a whisper. "I know where she is.."

"What did you do with her?!" Meihem swung his axe towards Remus' neck, only to be caught by a translucent thorny sword before it reached the hem of his epaulets. They came nose to nose, and Meihem's frustration was met with a torturing grin.

"Temper, temper!" He sang, pushing him off with his sword. "Absolutely nothing. More so, in fact, that if I _had_ done something, they would have found her and she would be dead.." With one swift hand movement, he brushed some dust off his shoulder and sheathed his sword. "Now, would you like me to show you where she is, or are you going to try for another failed attempt at taking my life? I must say, if killing me is more important to you than finding her, then by all means.." His golden eyes narrowed on Meihem before he finished his sentence. "After all, I haven't had a good skirmish since I arrived.."

He thought on it. Obviously his priorities were clear enough to put his axes down, yet he still kept a close eye on the sylvari. If he did know where she was, it would make this field trip go by all the more quickly than with him just running around chasing smoke. He watched as Remus turned on his heel and started walking in the opposite direction. A stern face peeked over the armored shoulder, giving Meihem a quizzical look. "We must hurry if we want to find her alive." He edged, calling for Meihem to follow him. Against his better judgment, they followed along after his trailing trench coat and soon disappeared into the fog. Thunder followed softly behind, shaking the pseudocalm that had claimed the beach as the waves drifted the carcass of the krait away and out to sea.

Lightning lit their way in brief flashes, and a thin rain had started to pelt the ground. It was hard to listen for spotters or scouts with the oncoming storm and the low idle hum of whatever was disturbing the harbor. Khan flew high above them, circling their position to make sure the path was clear. They had almost made it to through the Western Ward, when Khan had dropped down to perch on Remus' shoulder once more. The bird pointed its sharpened beak towards a few crumbling homes. They were standing dead center when Remus threw out an arm to catch Meihem. When the sylvari started to protest, Remus snapped. "Sh! We're being watched.."

The both stood vigilant, their backs to each other. Meihem held his bow up with an arrow ready, and Remus pulled out his bow, a magnificent glowing arc of vines and pink blossoms decorated with a dryad holding a shining spear. It radiated gold dust as he drew it, the arrow itself burning bright yellow as blossoms formed at his pinched fingertips. It remained quiet. Deathly quiet. With a great bat of his wings, the dire hawk flew up and forward, screeching as it circled once, then flew down and spooked something on the other side of the building. It fled towards them, and another. They started pouring out of the burning buildings in large numbers, and on a rope that appeared above them. Aetherblades. It looked as though they'd been planning the ambush for a while, and had finally made an entrance. The hawk returned, pecking and dive-bombing as they group made for the two sylvari.

Golden arrows staked their claim in a few heads as the two spread, weapons blazing in an all out war amidst the rubble. The battle soon went to melee combat, with Meihem whipping the axes around in a flurry of steel and force. Nobuo charged the ranks and pounced, pulling and clamping with his powerful jaws. More replaced the fallen as troops marched in, stumbling over the bodies of their comrades. It was chaos. Pure and simple. Meihem could see Remus across from them, fighting by Khan's side as his sword weaved a crimson tale of death. He had to admit, his skill was beyond comparison. The real question was, how long were they going to be able to keep up? Cutting through the ranks with Nobuo at his heels, he met back to back with Remus once more as another group closed in. there were more waiting. Watching. Weighing the risks. "Look out!" Remus shouted, shoving Meihem away as a canister fell from the sky. It parted like a budding rose when it hit the ground where they were standing just seconds before, with a thick red gas spewing from it. Meihem's eyes began to water. He came to realize this was no ambush. They were picking this site to set up another miasma canister. As Meihem ran to try and stop it, Remus caught him with a strong hold on his shoulder. They closed in on the two. They weren't intending to let them live, even if their objective was already set. Fighting back a coughing fit, he growled at Remus. "Stop! Let me go!"

"You fool! What's more important to you? The girl, or some endless riffraff?" Remus held a stern face, his bright amber eyes sinking into his soul. Remus leaned close to Meihem, his eyes once again locked on the incoming rabble. "You'll find her in what used to be the Trader's Forum, but look hard my friend..we may be too late.." Meihem looked up at him as he readied his sword once more, placing a hand to the earth to momentarily meditate and call forth a spirit of nature. Remus spared no glance towards him as he began to enter the center of the storm. Meihem seemed confused. Why was he helping him? Was he going to make it out of this alive? Were _they_? He stowed his bewilderment about the Courtier's sudden abundance of moral justice and compassion, and stepped back uttering the only thing he could. "But –"

"Go." Remus said calmly, raising his sword and throwing out his hand to balance his feline grace. "I SAID GO!" He shouted, his brows wincing in a hint of fury. Looking upon the crowd, the sylvari couldn't help but smile. This was what he'd been dreaming of, and he'd be damned if he didn't go out taking a few more of her pirates with him.

Meihem had taken off at a sprint towards the bridge linking the Western Ward with the Trader's Forum. Some of the stone had taken incredible amounts of abuse as part of the bridge had crumbled away. He didn't stop to examine the damage, however. _'Trader's forum..look hard..have to find her..'_ He could feel his breathing become more labored. It was getting thicker. Harder to breath. His eyes were still stinging from the encounter with the canister. Remus was gone. His only hope to pinpoint where exactly she was had vanished. And for his sake. As he came across more of the aetherblade lackies, he buried his axes into them, as if cutting away at vines in an attempt to go farther into the brush. She was here. He was so close. The once bustling plaza had fallen silent and echoed his footfalls. He couldn't see her. Only red. Blurry red fog. The bloodlust grew in him. A blind fury coursed through him as he fought to beat down everything that stood between him and his objective now. His hope began to sink further and further. It was all rubble. That was all to be seen. Dust, debris, and bodies littered the ground. None of them were Nym. Nobuo remained at his side, pushing his master along as they both searched wildly for any sign of life. Anything at all. Anything..

Entering what used to be the auction house, Meihem stopped, dropping to his knees. His axes slid across the stone, clattering and coming to an abrupt halt against a pile of broken, smoking wood. He could feel his insides burning. He erupted into another fit of coughing, stuck on his hands and knees before he finally collided with the ground. Nobuo stood over him, licking his face and whimpering as he tried to push his master further. Just a little further. The cold wet nose poked and prodded, nudging his master as Meihem outstretched across the dusty, soot-covered floor. A hand met with the hound's snout as he tried to assure Nobuo that everything was fine, even as the world was crashing down around them. Despite the grim setting, he smiled weakly at the fern hound and sang softly to them both.

_"___And the tree sang to the bird,__

__ That is where you're wrong, I've heard,__

__ For my dreams will always soar __

__ higher than any bird has ever flown before.."__

His mind began to doze, fluttering back to the dream he had while riding in the balloon. The warmth of her smile. The smell of the countryside. The peace. Drifting between reality and subconscious, his arm went limp, falling against the ground in a deafened thud. In the dream he reached out to her, grabbing her hand. Feeling the soft touch of her fingertips. She uttered something. It sounded like a moan. If she was in pain, or not, he couldn't tell. It was muffled. Coming back to reality, he looked around. Heavy rain had begun to fall, as the sky toiled with violet and red. Thunder clapped once more, to assure him that he was still stuck here. In this godforsaken place. He tried to remain focused on the dream. The way her hand felt when it pressed against his palms. It's almost as if she were there..

"__And the bird sang to the tree__

__ whipper wee whipper wee,__

__ You can not fly as high as me.."__

It was as if lightning itself had struck him. Her voice came in as clear as day. Meihem took a moment to study his hand as it lay above his head. He fought hard to see it through the clouding of his eyes. To his astonishment, a small teal hand lay clutched to his, twitching every so often as it tightened its grip. He sprung to his knees, as quick as he could muster, still coughing. Pushing the body of a male norn aside, he saw her. Her once-bright golden eyes held very little light as they looked upon him, and a weak, weathered smile stretched the soft contours of her face. "Meihem.." She muttered, choking on the air as she breathed in to speak. Without words, or hesitation, he brought her up and held her. His arms locked across her tightly, pressing her into him.

"We-We're going to get out of here..together.." He managed, in-between coughs. Climbing to his feet, he tried to pull her. A loud yelp echoed through the ruin as she gasped. Her legs had been trapped for so long she forgot what the pain felt like. "Stay, stay still." He demanded, motioning for Nobuo to help him push the pile of debris off of her. Sliding it to the side, and to much discomfort from Nym, they succeeded. Not even uttering the question, he slipped both arms under her, gathering her in one fell swoop.

The rain had started a downpour as the storm intensified. Lightning cried out across the skies in a torrent of water and wind. They had to make it now. They had to. "Let's go, Nobuo!" He called to the fern hound, that didn't need a second command before jumping towards their trail. Night had fallen fast. Thunder rumbled and shook the ground as lightning revealed their path in brief flashes. He had to make the best of it. He continued running, Nobuo bounding ahead to give him some sort of guide through the mess. He was heading towards the hum. Towards something. If he found water he could find the beach. Find Niladriel. Get out of here. Get out. They soon met with the salty waves. A riptide was brewing from the storm as the waves danced sporadically across the surface. Despite the difficulty, he still held on to her tightly, not wanting to let go in fear of losing her again. The air was getting tighter. He couldn't see. His eyes stayed locked on Nym as he paddled in a direction with one arm. Any direction away from that place. He was going to paddle as far as he could. The waves were getting stronger. She was slipping from his grip. "Nym, hold on to me!" He beckoned, as she felt her arm wrap loosely around his neck and then slowly slide away. The water soon claimed her. He dove under, determined not to lose her again. When they resurfaced, she coughed.

"I can't-I can't breath!" She cried, flailing at the water. He felt his chest being compressed, like a giant weight had been plopped on it. It was getting increasingly worse. The paddling was only forcing too much stress already. Once again she began to sink. He dove after her, the lightning cracking against the angry waves. It lit up the view of the sunken city of Lion's Arch as it flashed. They were swimming just above it. Everything had begun to fade. Meihem caught sight of her mouth as a few bubbles began to escape. Without thinking, his closed his mouth to hers, breathing life into her. His determination sang throughout his subconscious as he remained a hold of her. _'I almost lost you once, I won't lose you again..not here, not again..I promise..'_ The blue landscape of the ocean's bottom had begun to melt with the flashing of lightning across the sky, above the waves. Away from here. They began to float effortlessly with the pull of the current. His lips remained locked on hers before they began to pull apart, at which something had fished them out of the water. Meihem could make out a ship's deck, and a mast that was billowing in the whipping winds. They were shouting. He could feel the warmth of a fire as they were hauled out of the pelting rain. A familiar female voice caught his attention, but his vision was still a blur. The only thing he remained focused on was Nym's face. His hand remained glued to hers. Even across cots. He could feel a blanket being draped over them, beneath the warm glow of a lantern. It wasn't long before he gave in to the sinking feeling of sleep, and quickly faded out with their hands still lock with each other. He'd found her. Not fully sure if they'd lived or died, he found her.

The asura sighed, pressing a small cylinder-shaped gadget against the sleeping sylvari's foreheads. Kennec looked back at Niladriel with a swift nod, removing the earpieces. "They barely made it. It was a good thing they started self-sustaining for breath under the water. One more deep breath and they would have been done for.." He said, waddling over to a water basin and ringing out a damp cloth. He handed it to her with a bottle full of some olive-colored mixture. "Make sure they take a dose of that when they awaken. It will offset the miasma levels in their system. Luckily, you plant people can expel large doses of toxins rather quickly.." Even the tiny asura seemed impressed by this fact. As they exited to the upper decks of the ship, Niladriel was displaced with thought. Her attention locked on the fleeting shore as the Lionguard ship sailed safely away from the Lion's Arch city limits. The asura took a glance at her, feeling as though something hadn't quite settled with her yet. "What is it, m'lady?" He asked, his bright yellow eyes beaming up at her.

All she could do was stare into the mist from the window, her thoughts buzzing around wildly. _'Why'd he do it? We wouldn't have found them without his help..but why..?'_ Her staring deepened into a contemplative moral battle within her subconscious. She only got parts of what the halfling had said, and broke her concentration with a small smile. "I guess..we'll never know.."


End file.
